UVU Conference on Autism

About

The Utah Valley University Colleges of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of
Science and Health and School of Education are pleased to present the 2015 Utah Valley
University Conference on Autism. This single-day event will be held on Friday, April
3rd from 9am until 4pm in the Sorensen Student Center on the Utah Valley University
campus in Orem, Utah.

While still in the planning stages, the conference program is also expected to feature
over 20 concurrent presentations intended to help participants investigate various
aspects of ASD. The program will feature multiple-session tracks meeting the interests/needs
of students, professionals, educators, families and service providers. The conference
also plans to feature informational booths sponsored by various service and support
vendors from throughout the state.

Last year, over 40 presenters participated in the symposium, representing community
members, professionals and educators specializing in research - all volunteering their
time and insight. Nearly 400 participants attended. This year we expect attendance
to increase based-upon public interest and previous participation.

Call For Proposals

Registration

Keynote

Dr. Peter Gerhardt is the director of education – upper school for the McCarton School
in New York City. He has over 30 years experience utilizing the principles of Applied
Behavior Analysis in support of adolescents and adults with ASD in educational, employment,
residential and community-based settings.

Presenters

Keynote Presenter:

Peter Gerhardt, PhD

Dr. Peter Gerhardt is the director of education – upper school for the McCarton School in New York City. He has over 30 years of experience utilizing the
principles of Applied Behavior Analysis in support of adolescents and adults with
ASD in educational, employment, residential and community-based settings.

Afternoon Plenary Presenter:

Autism Daddy

Autism Daddy is the father to an 11 year old son with severe, classic, non-verbal
autism. He doesn’t have a degree in anything related to autism, but he has been riding
the autism roller-coaster for over 9 years now living on the corner of Autism Avenue
& Seizure Street, and has been anonymously blogging about his experiences. His claim
to fame is giving people a realistic, non sugar coated look at the world inside an
autism household; the good, the bad, and the poop. :-)

Session Presenters:

Holli Child

Holli Child graduated from BYU with a degree in Early Child Education. In addition
to obtaining her degree Holli has also had five years of experience working with children
on the Autism Spectrum. She is currently a teacher at Clear Horizons Academy. Holli
has always had a love of working with children and fostering language development
in the children.

Lisa Cohne

Lisa Cohne is the Community Partnerships manager for the Utah Education Network. In
this position, Lisa has the opportunity to connect UEN resources with educational
communities including libraries and special needs populations. She has partnered for
several years with the Autism Council of Utah and several higher-ed institutions to
bring film screenings regarding issues and concerns about Autism to families and the
general public across the state. Lisa received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology,
and an Elementary Education certification from Clark University in Massachusetts.
She earned a Special Education certification from Utah State University and a Master’s
degree in Social Welfare Administration from the University of California, Berkeley.

Caitlen Cotten

Caitlin Cotten is a native of Oklahoma, who graduated in Theatre Education from Brigham
Young University. She has worked with children of all abilities in the classroom and
in theatre workshop situations. She has worked at Clear Horizons Academy for two years
and is currently the drama specialist there.

Jannica Dale

Jannica Dale has been the Autism Teacher Leader for Alpine School District since 2012.
She began her special education teaching career in 2001 as a special classroom teacher
for kindergarten-aged students with autism. She has been a mentor and coach in Alpine
School District for over 6 years for both general education and special education
teachers working with students with autism and other developmental disabilities.

Sharlene Dean, APRN

Sherlene Dean graduated from the University of Utah, and is Board Certified in Child
and Adolescent Behavioral Health. She has worked in Outpatient Clinics for both IHC
and the U of U. Most recently her work has focused on the Autistic population of
all age ranges, working at the University of Utah Neurobehavioral clinic and the HOME
program. She is Adjunct faculty at the College of Nursing, and guest lecturer for
the College of Social Work at the University of Utah. She is also the Co-Founder
of Matts Place, a center for the support and treatment of Individuals and families
impacted by Autism.

Crystal Emery

Crystal is a child development specialist with 18 years of experience in autism.
She is an experienced trainer and parent educator. She worked in early intervention
for 15 years where she gained experience in both behavioral and relationship-based
interventions. She is a Certified PLAY Project Consultant and has been practicing
this relationship-based intervention for over 5 years. She is currently working as
the Training and Development Specialist for Easter Seals-Goodwill in Utah. She is
also a transition coordinator and supervisor in the Peer Connections Program for transition-age
teens and young adults with High Functioning Autism.

Nathan Jensen, CHMC

Nathan came to ScenicView Academy after having worked 13 years in residential treatment.
Nathan worked with both and youth and adults during this time period. He has received
specialized training in biofeedback, autism, behavioral modification, governmental
services, and MANDT. Nathan often spends timeresearching additional information
or proven therapeutic strategies so that he can better help his clients. He has a
lovely wife and five adorable children, two which have disabilities and this motivates
and helps him what he does.

Ryan Kellems, PhD

Dr. Kellems earned his Ph.D. in Special Education at the University of Kansas with
a major in Special Education and Transition. He is currently an Assistant Professor
at Brigham Young University, teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in Special
Education. Prior to coming to BYU Dr. Kellems was on the faculty at the University
of Oregon. His primary research interests are transition, post-school outcomes of
students with disabilities, assistive technology, video modeling, and working with
young adults with autism in community-based vocational settings.

Lt. Mark Lowther

Retired Weber County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Mark Lowther is currently an instructor
of various law enforcement topics including hostage negotiation across the country.
He served 20 plus years in law enforcement service for the Weber county community.

Karen Malm, PhD

Karen W. Malm is a licensed psychologist who is the Executive Director of Summit Community
Counseling, a mental health agency with offices in Orem, Taylorsville, Park City and
Heber. She has been working with individuals with Autism since being the recipient
of a specialized grant in graduate school to work with individuals with Autism in
1985.

Ryan Miller, LCSW

Ryan Miller has worked as a psychotherapist at ScenicView Academy for over eight years.
He received his bachelors in Psychology and a masters in Social Work from Brigham
Young University. He has presented on a local and state level on topics such as: transition
planning, tools for working with adults with Autism, changing entrenched behaviors,
and sensory processing disorders. He coauthored, along with other ScenicView staff,
a quick reference guide for social skills entitled, “Why Is It So Hard To Make Friends?”
He enjoys sports, games, recreational activities, and spending time with his family.

Talia Morales

Talia is a Board Certified Music Therapist, Expressive Arts Therapist and supervisor
at Coast Music Therapy, a San Diego-based agency assisting learners with special needs.
She holds a Master’s degree in Expressive Arts for Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding
integrating intermodal art approaches to promote positive social change and community
building. Talia is also co-founder of The SongStream Project, a mobile recording project
which explores the interwoven path of music and memory by shining a light on the songs
behind peoples’ stories and the stories behind their songs. Talia has additional certification
in Neurologic Music Therapy through Colorado State University. She also provides family
workshops in Spanish.

Andrea Moriarty

Andrea and her husband adopted twins at birth. She shadowed nearly 50 exceptional
therapists in a dozen interventions and turned their home into a virtual clinic after
their son was diagnosed with autism at age 3. Her blog, AutismUnplugged.com, is written
as a mother’s reflective voice in the hullabaloo. She started Banding Together, a
music therapy nonprofit, Young Life Capernaum in San Diego, and BEACON, an outreach
in China. Andrea is completing a book titled, “The Poppins Revelation,” a story of
deliverance told through her son’s obsession with movies.

Reid Moriarty

Reid brings a contagious sense of joy to every audience. A charismatic performer on
keyboard and seasoned vocalist, he has a song in his heart and music on his lips.
His podcast “Talk Time with Reid Moriarty” is a series of 5-7 minute interviews with
people he finds interesting, and others might too! Reid’s voice breaks through social
barriers to inspire.

Michelle Murphy

Michelle Murphey has been a parent consultant from the Utah Parent Center serving
families in Granite School District for the last 10 years. She has a Bachelor’s degree
in Psychology. She is also the mother of two boys ages 14 and 5. She currently has
one child and a brother who are on the autism spectrum. It is this personal experience
that has motives her to continue with the important work of helping families who like
her have children with special needs.

Kathrine Parnell, LCSW

Kathrine Parnell is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a private practice in Draper,
Utah. With over ten years of therapeutic experience, she offers specialized help
for children, adults and families who are faced with challenges related to the autism
spectrum. Kathrine has obtained specific professional training in the field of autism
as well as personal experience having three children who are on the spectrum.

Thomas Parry, MEd,BCBA, LBA

Thomas Parry is a licensed and board certified behavior analyst serving families at
Parry Behavioral Consulting, LLC in Kaysville, Utah. He has worked with individuals
with autism spectrum disorders, Down syndrome, ADHD, TBI, Bipolar, FAS, intellectual
disabilities, speech and language disorders, and other behavioral challenges. He
completed his Master’s Degree in Special Education with an emphasis in Applied Behavior
Analysis at George Mason University. Thomas is currently completing a Master’s Degree
in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Old Dominion University. Thomas conducted
social skills groups for children and teens with autism and intellectual disabilities
in Falls Church, Virginia, as well as a social skills group for adults with Asperger’s.

Aaron Ridenour, ACMHC, SSW

Aaron graduated from Brigham Young University in Marriage, Family, and Human Development
in 2007 and received a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from University
of Phoenix in 2011. His research paper “The Infertility Resilience Model: Assessing
Individual, Couple, and External Predictive Factors” was published in Contemporary
Family Therapy in 2009. He has worked at ScenicView since 2006 in several capacities,
including human service worker, case manager, and psychotherapist. Aaron loves spending
time with his family and four children and enjoys working with the students at ScenicView.

Carrie Rogers-Whitehead

Carrie Rogers-Whitehead is a senior librarian for Salt Lake County Library Services.
In March 2011 she created the first public library programming in the state of Utah
for those with special needs, particularly autism and is currently running library
programming for older youth with special needs. She is the 2013 Utah Librarian of
the year and a Red Cross “Community Hero” for her work with the special needs population.
Carrie has a Masters in Library and Information Science and a Masters in Public Administration.

Jared Stewart, MEd

Jared Stewart was named the 2011 Educator of the Year by the National Association
of Private Special Education Centers (NAPSEC). He is the Director of Education at
Provo’s ScenicView Academy. After graduating Magna Cum Laude from BYU he has spent
the past decade working with adults with autism, and has shared his views on the techniques
and mindsets that lead to improved outcomes for individuals on the autism spectrum
with many local and national audiences. His passion for the subject arises from personal
experience: he has family members on the spectrum and has been diagnosed with Asperger’s
Syndrome.

Elein Sutherland, TRS, CTRS

Elein Sutherland came to ScenicView with experience with adults with low-functioning
Autism, Down’s Syndrome, and other moderate to severe mental and emotional disabilities.
Elein has a passion for recreation therapy and believes in the self-efficacy theory
and leisure-ability model. Elein continually seeks to create a safe place for students
to explore leisure interests, independence in healthy recreation, practice social
skills, and develop healthy relationships. She believes that resiliency and motivation
are vital for success and strives to help each student acquire and maintain those
qualities. She recently presented at the Utah Recreation Therapy Association Conference
and will continue to spread awareness of Autism and recreation therapy through applying
to present at other conferences.

Anna Vagin, PhD

Anna Vagin, PhD, a licensed speech/language pathologist in private practice in Marin
County, provides individual sessions and social learning groups to families and children
6 months through college age. She is the author of Movie Time Social Learning (2012).
Her new book, YouCue Feelings: Video Viewing for Social Learning, will be available
January 2015.

Jame Vaughan, MBA

James holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and
is employed full time with the United States Airforce as a Program Manager. Along
with his wife Robyn, he is the co-founder of F.A.A.S.T. (Families of Autism and Asperger’s
Standing Together).

Scott Wood, CHMC

Scott graduated from the University of Phoenix with a Master’s degree in Mental Health
Counseling. Scott has worked for ScenicView since it opened, and has enjoyed seeing
its growth, and seeing the students benefit from the services provided at ScenicView.
Scott also works with the WHY TRY organization as a National Training Consultant helping
youth and others develop the social and emotional skills necessary to reach their
goals. He enjoys spending time with his family, being in the outdoors, and participating
in sports.

Sessions

Opening Keynote

Dr. Peter Gerhardt

Grande Ballroom • 9 – 9:50 am

Renowned Autism expert, Dr. Peter Gerhardt, is the director of education - upper school,
for the McCarton School in New York City. He has over 30 years experience utilizing
the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis in support of adolescents and adults with
ASD in educational, employment, residential and community-based settings.

Join board certified music therapist Talia Morales as she shares how her work in clinic
and school settings developed into the Songstream Project: “Voices of Autism”, an
audio documentary exploring the path that music has woven through the lives of four
young musicians on the autism spectrum. Andrea Moriarty will relate her experience
as the parent of one of the young musicians featured. She will share various ways
music therapy was central to their son’s education over more than a decade, and now
in his adult vocational life. She and her husband have leveraged Reid’s special interest
in music and performance to motivate him at every stage of life, creating performance
opportunities and now his own podcast. Reid will perform his original songs with Talia.
The stage is where he is most comfortable, and his songs inspire listeners while illuminating
his unique perspective on the world.

The majority of educators are striving to do anything necessary to help their students
be successful. Most have also received at least minimal training in classroom management.
Despite best efforts, frustration can easily occur when educators do not feel they
have effective tools to positively support their students through class-wide and/or
individual behavior management plans. The bad news is there is no magical one-size-fits-all
solution. The good news is there are a number of simple applications of research-based
strategies that can increase student contact with positive reinforcement in both the
general education and special education settings. This presentation will remind us
about the difference between rewarding and punishing strategies, consider how we might
be implementing punishing strategies or escalating problem behavior without our knowledge,
and discuss hands-on classroom examples of simple positive strategies that have shown
to make a real difference. This presentation will be of special interest to educators.

We Have a Diagnosis, Now What?

Kathrine Parnell, LCSW

SC 213 A/B 10am – 10:50 am

Join Kathrine Parnell as she presents a session designed for parents, caregivers and
family members of children ages zero to six who are newly diagnosed with an autism
spectrum disorder. Many parents struggle in the first few years of diagnosis to find
appropriate resources, explain the diagnosis to family and friends and manage their
own grief and loss. This 50-minute session will explore various resources which are
readily available to assist parents to have positive interactions which promote growth
in their children. Additional topics highlighted will be the journey of a parent’s
grief and loss which is often minimized, and strategies to provide education and organize
support from friends and family.

New core Curriculum Standards have multiple outcomes that are dependent on social
thought. For those supporting students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and related
disorders, it can be challenging to formulate goals, identify specific areas for therapeutic
intervention and support teachers while keeping these standards in mind. A general
overview of the Core Curriculum will emphasize social and emotional knowledge, and
the impact for students with ASD. After discussing how we as adults can mediate social
learning and language most successfully, Dr. Vagin will address a systematic way to
deconstruct student IEP goals into underlying social concepts. She will then illustrate
how to use highly engaging media to facilitate teaching of the abstract social concepts
that are not incorporated into curriculum standards. The remainder of time will be
spent exploring specific ways to use structured viewing of pre-selected movie, movie
shorts and YouTube videos to build social knowledge. Participants will leave with
a list of recommended media choices and accompanying activities they can use immediately.
This session will be most enjoyable to those with moderate to advanced understanding
of ASD and general educational principles.

Law Enforcement and Autism: A Crucial Conversation

Lt. Mark Lowther and James Vaughan

Library Lakeview Room (4th floor) 10am – 4pm)

EXTENDED WORKSHOP SESSION (4 hours, with break for lunch and afternoon plenary), this
Workshop will end at 4pm.

In conjunction with the 2015 UVU Conference on Autism, we are proud to join with Families
of Autism and Asperger’s Standing Together (F.A.A.S.T) to offer a special focus workshop
for EMS/First Responders. This workshop is aimed at creating greater awareness of
the role Law Enforcement and other First Responders will plan in the growing population
of those living on the Autism Spectrum. This two-part program includes ‘Autism 101’,
focusing on the basics of the Autism Spectrum and the daily struggles of those facing
the disorder.

Part 2, taught by Lt. Lowther (ret.), focuses on the law enforcement response, challenges
to officers and the increased focus that must be shared due to the growing population
of those living on the spectrum in our communities today. Each section includes a
variety of visual aids and video presentations. The workshop will break at 11:50 to
allow participants to join the general conference for luncheon, exhibitor fair and
afternoon plenary session. Participants will reconvene at 2pm for the remainder of
the day – ending at 4pm. This workshop is particularly designed for EMS/First Responders.

Medications: Autism and Co-Morbid Diagnosis

Sherlene Dean, APRN

SC 213 AB 11am-11:50am

Join Sherlene as she provides an overview of the different classifications of psychiatric
medications used for a wide variety of diagnosis, including Autism and the many co-morbid
diagnosis such as BiPolar, ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, OCD and psychosis. Common side
effects and monitoring will be discussed. This presentation is appropriate for all
levels of experience, and for professionals and parents alike.

LUNCHEON and Exhibit Fair • Grande Ballroom •12 noon – 1pm

Please join us for a wonderful lunch and the presentation of the annual ARUCC Heroes
of Autism award. Also, please visit the Exhibit Fair in the Ballroom Commons area.
Area service providers and conference sponsors will provide information on resources
available to those on the spectrum.

Plenary Session :Things No One Ever Tells You After Your Child is Diagnosed with Autism

Autism Daddy

Grande Ballroom 1pm – 1:50 pm

Please join us for this honest and personal message from social media sensation ‘Autism
Daddy’. In the 3 years since ‘Autism Daddy’ hit Facebook and began blogging, he has
been followed by thousands of people around the world. With over 1000 unique visits
per day, ‘Autism Daddy’ posts his personal experiences, joys, hardships, tips and
tricks – all with a purpose aimed at educating and supporting autism parents and families.

Ethical and Legal Issues Across the Spectrum: What’s your Duty?

Karen Malm, PhD

Grande Ballroom 2pm – 2:50 pm

Individuals on the Autism Spectrum provide unique challenges to clinicians when addressing
ethical and legal issues of duty to warn, abuse and neglect reporting laws, maintaining
confidentiality, and obtaining informed consent. This workshop will bring up the questions
to consider about the ethical and legal issues in dealing with the host of challenges
that individuals with Autism bring to our practices. Legal concepts around Duty to
Warn, Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Laws, Confidentiality and Informed Consent
Laws will be addressed. This session will be of particular interest to clinicians
and professionals.

Autism and Healthy Sexuality

Jared Stewart, MEd

Ragan Theatre 2pm – 2:50pm

Among all the research and discussion of issues related to Autism Spectrum Disorders,
one subject is consistently overlooked: sexuality. And yet, despite the developmental
delays associated with ASD, people with autism are still people – with the same hormones,
same urges, and same physical development; and who face the same decisions that neurotypicals
do. Parents, professionals and caregivers may find it awkward or unpleasant to address
sexual issues, but ignoring the subject is neither helpful or possible. In this interactive
presentation, participants will learn both the critical importance of sexual education
and a host of tips for effective teaching and intervention across the lifespan. This
session is designed for those with at least moderate understanding of ASD.

This interactive workshop is meant to target teachers who have students with Autism
in their classrooms. It will focus on how to combine arts integrated learning with
evidence based best practices to create an engaging, challenging and enriching learning
experience for students of differing abilities. Holli and Caitlin will lead participants
through hands-on small group experiences, real-time lesson delivery and practice teaching.
Packed with opportunities for sharing and interactive learning, this workshop will
highlight how teachers can best engage and reach their students in fun and enriching
experiences for both teachers and their students. This workshop will be best enjoyed
by those with some classroom experience and expertise.

17 Strategies to Enhance Social Skill Training

Thomas Parry, MEd, BCBA, LBA

SC 213 A/B – 2pm- 2:50pm

Enhance your child’s social skills using behavioral strategies and evidence-based
practices. This session will offer a review of current interventions and strategies
used to teach social skills to children with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental
or learning disabilities. Participants will learn about evidence based practices in
teaching social skills such as incidental teaching, behavioral rehearsal and feedback,
peer-mediated intervention and social skills groups. Additional strategies to enhance
social skill training practices will also be presented. This session is appropriate
for educators and parents of all experience levels.

From Homework Horror to Homework Happiness

Michelle Murphey

SC 206 ABC • 2pm – 2:50 pm

Join Michelle for this realistic and practical session for parents who would like
to take some of the pain out of homework. Learn how technology can help parents to
support their children with autism to get organized, study effectively and monitor
progress. This session will focus on websites, apps and other simple techniques to
bring you and your student from homework horror to homework happiness! Parents and
educators will find this session particularly interesting.

Treatment Options for Anxiety and Depression for Those on the Autism Spectrum

Nathan Jensen, CMHC and Scott Wood, CMHC

Grande Ballroom • 3 pm-3:50 pm

Anxiety and Depression often accompany the diagnosis for those on the Autism Spectrum.
In the past, treatment options have often followed a medical model rather than assessing
the individual in a holistic manner. During the course of this presentation, Nathan
and Scott will share tried and true methods for treating anxiety and depression –
but with specific medications that are effective with those on the Autism Spectrum.
This will be a hands-on presentation with materials and activities that can be used
with clients or family members. This session will be particularly enjoyed by those
with some experience and at least a moderate understanding of autism.

So, you have a tablet. Now what do you do with it? In this session, participants will
learn how to use technology to serve the special needs population. Carrie, a librarian
– Lisa, an educator – and Ryan, a professor of special education will share best practices,
tips and data from studies and programming. Find out good resources and recommended
apps to better education and entertain. Educators with some teaching experience will
particularly enjoy this session.

The Infrastructure of Relationships: Helping Young Adults with Autism Make Sense of
the Behind the Scenes of Social Interaction

Ryan Miller, LCSW and Aaron Ridenour, ACMHC, SSW

SC 213AB 3pm – 3:50 pm

In the room you are sitting in, there are things you can see (paint, carpet, ceiling
tiles, etc.) and things you can’t (pipes, wiring, concrete, etc.). The same is true
of relationships. There are things you can see (eye contact, facial expressions, general
personal appearance, etc.) and things you can’t (thoughts and feelings). In this presentation,
presenters will focus on strategies and skills to help young adults with autism better
understand how to recognize and respond to the ‘behind the scenes’ aspect of relationships.
This session is designed for those with moderate to advanced understanding and experience
with autism.

Fostering Independence in Adolescents with High Functioning Autism

Crystal Emery

SC 206 AB/C • 3 pm-3:50 pm

This session will address the tasks of social/emotional development in adolescence
and how those tasks need to be adapted for individuals with autism. Participants will
discuss how to support the social/emotional growth of adolescents as they move toward
independence. It will also discuss discipline, and how it changes in adolescence to
meet the changing needs of the child. A brief description of the Peer Connections
program and how its principles support the changing needs of adolescents will be included.
Participants will practice interpreting common communicative message of adolescents
in order to recognize how best to sensitively respond and support them. There will
be ample time for group discussion as participants explore this difficult arena together.
This session is appropriate for all experience levels.

Exhibitors

If you would like to have a space in our Addiction Conference Exhibitor hall and you
are an event sponsor you can download the application here.

If you would like to have a space in our Addiction Conference Exhibitor hall and you
are not an event sponsor you can download the application here.

If you have any questions about exhibit space or becoming an event sponsor please
contact Toni Harris at 801-863-6816 or harristo@uvu.edu.

MISSION

Here at Passages, we believe that any student who truly wants to go to college needs
to be encouraged and supported in their decision. Our mission focuses on supporting
those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to more fully realize their potential and
utilize their strengths for enriched lives-- through higher education, social experiences,
independent living, and career guidance.

VISION & VALUES

Our Vision:

Led by enthusiastic, expert teachers and peer-mentors utilizing current best-practices,
the UVU Passages program empowers current and prospective students with autism- spectrum
conditions to develop the awareness, skills, and supports they will need to succeed
in all aspects of university life: personal, academic, and social.

We Value:

Each individual with autism, and their potential to become independent, contributing
members of society

Each individual's need to develop social relationships and recreational/leisure outlets

Each family's desire for their child with autism to have the supports and services
they need to succeed

Each individual's rights to equal access under the law (ADA)

Each individual's right to be treated with respect; regardless of disability, race,
creed, or ethnicity

APPLICATION

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CURRICULUM

Our classes will be held each week on Mondays and Wednesdays, with each class focusing
on the skills needed to succeed in college as well as in everyday life. These classes
strive to guide students in a way that encourages self-advocacy, proactivity, and
aims to help them be more aware of their surroundings, themselves, and others. They
focus on social opportunities, professional placement, higher education, independent
living, Tuesday's activities and coursework are specifically aimed at helping students
improve their social skills. Classes will improve student's social effectiveness,
increase motivation to use these skill in the future, and help students make social
interaction a more manageable and pleasant experience.

Wednesday Night Curriculum

9/10 – R.E.A.C.H Assessment, Overview of Social Skills Class, Why Cross the Social Divide? - Students are introduced to overcoming their "social divides" by becoming aware
of:

- Things that cause such divides

- Negative thoughts about social interactions

- Finding reasons to interact

- Taking opportunities to interact

- Seeing the need for skills that are vital to social success

9/17 – Bridges We Call Relationships - Here we focus on defining what a relationship is and how they are built, strengthened,
and maintained. We will begin to explore how their own needs, wants, challenges, and
experiences impact relationships. Students will also consider various types of relationships
and differentiate the expectations, time, work, trust, and emotional connection needed
for each.

9/24 – Constructing What We Feel, Say, and Do - Here we look closely at how feelings, communication, and behavior impact our relationships.
Important concepts such as non-verbal communication, listening, empathy, and problem
solving are introduced.

10/1 – Constructing What We Feel, Say, and Do – Constructing What We Feel, Say, and Do continued. (See above.)

10/8 – Non-Verbals - Non-verbals are emphasized as a critical part of communication and as a key part
of relationships. We heavily focus on the importance of appropriate personal appearance
as well as utilizing and understanding body language. We will also cover how to maintain
proper appearance and hygiene, facial expressions, eye contact, touch, gestures, and
proxemics.

10/22 – Non-Verbals – Non-verbals continued. (See above)

10/29 – Conversations - Students will learn how to initiate and carry on two way conversations, including
how to change topics, listen actively, and take turns talking. Additionally, they
will learn how to enter other's conversations, how to fix conversations when there
has been a misunderstanding, and how to navigate sensitive subjects

11/5 – Conversations – Conversations continued. (See above.)

11/12 – Conversations – Conversations continued. (See above.)

11/19 – Maintaining and Strengthening Relationships - Students will learn the importance and key skills necessary to maintain and strengthen
relationships. We will emphasize skills regarding conflict resolution, giving compliments,
expressing gratitude, respecting others points of view, giving and receiving feedback,
and progressing relationship. Guidance regarding the use of technology in relationships
is also given.

FACULTY & STAFF BIOS

Toni comes out of a solid business and testing/assessment background. She earned an
MBA and spent eight years working as a Certification Program Manager and Test/Certification
Executive Director for Thomson Prometric and Development Services Inc. This experience
offered her the opportunity to develop a broad experience base in the tools and processes
necessary to build, track and enhance varied cross-audience certification and training
programs for companies such as HP, Adobe, Microsoft, Brocade, Google, and Citrix.
Prior to working in certification, Toni spent 13 years with Covey Leadership Center
working as a project manager on new books and publications. She has been at UVU since
2008 and serves as the Assistant Dean for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Laurie Bowen • Coordinator

Laurie completed her Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction for Autism, with
an emphasis in Board Certified Behavior Analysis from Arizona State University, and
will be receiving her BCBA in August. She has two Bachelor of Science Degrees: one
in Behavioral Science with an emphasis in Psychology from Utah Valley University,
and a second in Communication Disorders from Utah State University. She also has Autism
Specialized Studies Certificate through the University of California-Davis, and has
been trained in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), Floortime (DIR), Early Start Denver
Model (ESDM), and Best Practices Interventions with Autism. Laurie began working with
children with Autism in 2000, and is currently co-chair of the Autism Resources of
Utah County Council, coordinator with the Passages program, and teaches Introduction
to Autism at UVU as adjunct faculty.

Teresa A. Cardon, PhD., CCC-SLP • Autism Consultant

Teresa has worked with individuals on the autism spectrum for over 20 years. Dr. Cardon
completed her doctoral training in Speech & Hearing Science with an autism emphasis
and is currently the Director of Autism Studies at Utah Valley University. Dr. Cardon
has published her research on autism in peer-reviewed journals and presents at conferences
both nationally and internationally.

Tracy Golden, PhD. • Primary Faculty Member

Tracy received her PhD and MSW from the University of Utah. She is a licensed, clinical
mental health counselor, with expertise in adults with autism spectrum disorders as
well as a general practice in other mental health issues including anxiety, depression,
bipolar disorder and substance abuse. Tracy is an Assistant Professor of Social Work
at Utah Valley University. Her research interests are around the unique patterns of
relating that parents develop with their children with autism. Dr. Golden has been
involved in the disability field since 2004. She helped co-found Utah Families for
Effective Autism Treatment and served as vice president. She is also a collaborating
member of the Utah Autism Council, the State of Utah "Learn the Signs. Act Early"
Team, the Maturation Work Group for Children with Developmental Disabilities, and
the Utah Autism Project (a volunteer organization serving Latino families). Her interest
in the Utah Act Early Program arose from her belief that parents should have opportunities
for early detection in order to access early intervention. She is particularly interested
in increasing identification of developmental disabilities in underserved populations.

Jared Stewart, M.Ed. • Primary Faculty Member

Jared was named the 2011 Educator of the Year by the National Association of Private
Special Education Centers (NAPSEC). He is the director of education at Provo's ScenicView
Academy, and an adjunct professor at UVU. After graduating Magna Cum Laude from BYU,
he has spent the past decade working with adolescents and adults with autism, and
has shared his views on the techniques and mindsets that lead to improved outcomes
for individuals on the autism spectrum with many local and national audiences. His
passion for the subject arises from personal experience: he has family members on
the spectrum and has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome.

Meera Andersen • Student Assistant

Meera Andersen is currently a student at UVU and is working toward becoming an Occupational
Therapist. She loves helping people in anyway she can, and strives to make the lives
of those around her better. Meera has a strong love for the outdoors, and enjoys rock
climbing, mountain biking, hiking, and being with friends and family.

Kari Bushman • Passages Ally

Kari Bushman is a non-traditional UVU student majoring in Speech Communication with
a minor in Autism Studies. Kari has worked for almost 20 years as a Radio and event
DJ and loves social media, music, singing, people and parties! She has a passion for
working with teenagers and adults on the Autism Spectrum. She has also worked as a
Life Skills aide at the Junior High level for 5 years, and has served as a volunteer
for both the Alpine School District and Scenic View Academy working with ASD students.
As a Senior at UVU, Kari looks forward to graduation (next spring) and to working
as an advocate and mentor for teenagers and adults with Autism.